I have a 97 SE with 55.4k on it. The tranny isn't shifting normal. When the car is cold, it revs too high from take off and sorta "thumps" down to the next gear. I know it is really early early symptoms of problems to come.

I don't know if the ATF has ever been changed as I bought the car used about six months ago with 42k on it. Should I bring the car to the Nissan Dealer? I'm afraid I will, they will say everything is within 'spec' and send me on my way. Then 10-20k later, the tranny will fail, but I'll be out of warranty.

Thoughts?

 

That may not necessarily be the tranny slipping. I think most slush box drivers will agree that the change from 1 to 2 is harsh especially when cold. I thought I had a problem and went to the nissan dealer to address the problem. Ofcourse they said that what I described was not slipping. But it is worth a shot with them because it is under warrantee (60k).

 

Bring the car to the dealer. Let them give you the expected brush-off, but be sure to get and keep the paperwork which documents the problem as existing before the warranty expired. This will put you in a good position to receive a no-cost repair even after the warranty has ended.

 

Actually that shifting pattern sounds normal to me. When cold, the transmission shifts later and not as smoothly.

 

I have an auto '97 SE, and when cold, the shift is jerky also.

You car has 55.4k, if the previour owner didn't change the ATF (which I doubt he/she did), then it is long overdue for change. The Nissan ATF should be change @ 30k (according to the ATF analysis the Bill and Shing did).

Bring the car to the dealer first, have them examine that. If they said everything is okay, do what Daniel suggest, keep all the paper for future use.

If they said everything is okay, find a local store which can do a T-tech ATF flush. Call around. I had mine done in a local Jiffy Lube for ~$90, including using Pennzoil synthetic blend ATF. Wow!!! It was a big difference. BTW, not all the JIffy Lube carry synthetic blend. That's why I said call around.

I am going to drive this for couple thousands miles, then I will start to change the ATF to the Redline ATF I bought.

Good luck.

 

try 98 SE 29000 miles... starting to slip (i think... dealership tomorrow)